Hunger/Need. A hungry person will do anything to survive, from fighting for a cause to betraying it.

"Η τρέλα δεν πάει στα βουνά."

"Madness doesn't visit the mountains."

Madness is manifested towards something you are conversing/thinking about.

There is another clause to this proverb that is generally omitted. The second clause is "πάει στούς ανθρώπους" (it goes to people). The entire proverb is as follows: Η τρέλα δεν πάει στα βουνά, πάει στους ανθρώπους". So, what one says is "Madness does not go to the mountains, it goes to people".

"Η γριά κότα έχει το ζουμί."

"It's the old chicken that has the juice."

Don't discredit elder people/ideas (also used ironically). It often refers to sexual relations, with older women having more sexual experience and being able satisfy a man more than a younger woman can.

"Η πάστρα είναι αρετή."

"Cleanliness is a virtue."

"H γριά δεν είχε δαίμονα κι'αγόραζε λαχτέντα."

"The old woman didn't have a demon (i.e., problem) and she was buying piglets."

When someone goes looking for trouble or creates problems where there were none (since raising piglets is a lot of trouble).

"Η γλώσσα τιμάει το πρόσωπο."

"The way of speaking honors the face/person." ("πρόσωπο" in Greek means "person" as well as face).

"Learn a craft and quit it, and when you get poor, use it to earn a living."

"Μάτια που δε βλέπονται, γρήγορα λησμονιούνται."

"Eyes that don't see each other, soon forget about each other."

"Μάχαιρα έδωσες, μάχαιρα θα λάβεις."

Literally: "You gave a knife, you'll take a knife."

Equivalent to: "You live by the sword, you die by the sword." This is quoted in the New Testament (the original Bible written in Greek). When the Roman soldiers appeared to arrest Jesus, one of Christ's companions pulled out a knife to protect him. Jesus stopped him and told that quote verbatim.

"Μ'ένα σμπάρο, δυο τρυγώνια."

"One shot, two birds"

Like saying "Killing two birds with one stone". "Σμπάρος" in Greek is a shotgun shot, but the meaning is the same.

"Μια του κλέφτη, δυό του κλέφτη, τρεις και την κακή του μέρα."

"Once for the thief, twice for the thief, three and it's his bad day."

If you commit a crime you will eventually get caught.

"Με πορδές αυγά δε βάφονται."

"You can't dye eggs with farts."

On stinginess. Akin to "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."

Some people ignore any advice or guidance that may be provided to them. In more modern Greek, there is a funny spoof of this proverb : "Στου κουφού την πόρτα, μπες απ'το παράθυρο" ("When at a deaf man's door, get in through the window").

To abdicate one's responsibilities, especially in studying. Other version: "Δεν μελετάει καθόλου στο σχολείο. Τα έχει φορτώσει στον κόκορα" ("He doesn't study at all in school. He dumps it on the rooster.")

"Τ' αργαστήρι θέλει κουτσό νοικοκύρη."

"A workshop should have a lame master."

"Τα παθήματα των πρώτων, γεφύρι των δεύτερων."

"The misfortunes of the first ones, a bridge for the second ones."

Learning from one's mistakes.

"Τα ράσα δεν κάνουν τον παπά."

"A cassock doesn't make someone a priest."

Roughly equivalent to the Εnglish: "Clothes don't make the man."

Της νύχτας τα καμώματα τα βλέπει η μέρα και γελά.

"The day sees the deeds of the night and laughs."

That which occurs at nighttime is the folly of the daytime.

"Τι κάνεις, Γιάννη." "Κουκιά σπέρνω."

"How are you, John?" "I'm planting beans."

Miscommunication. One says one thing, the other gives an unrelated response."

"Το μεγάλο ψάρι τρώει το μικρό."

"The big fish eats the little one."

People of wealth or high position always take advantage of the less fortunate or weak.

"Την προδοσία πολλοί αγάπησαν, το προδότη κανείς."

"Many have loved treason, none the traitor."

"Many people want to do things, don't have the guts, and the scorn someone who does"

"Το αγκάθι από μικρό αγκυλώνει."

"A thorn stings even if it's small."

"The smallest problems can hurt you"

"Τον αράπη κι αν τον πλένεις, το σαπούνι σου χαλάς."

"No matter how much you wash a black person, you are wasting your soap."

This proverb is mainly used to express the futility of trying to change the mentality of a headstrong person (the color of a black person cannot be washed off) and it does have racist connotations. In modern Greek, the word "αράπης" (arapis -- black man) is a lay (and at times borderline pejorative) term -- originally probably derived from the word "Άραβας" (Aravas -- Arab).